Clowns are omnivorous and will eat just about anything they come across.

Feeding them a variety of foods will be good for their health. Make sure they get enough protein from live or frozen foods like Bloodworm, Brine Shrimp or Tubifex worms.

Other foods they will eat include vegetable matter, flake foods and sinking pellets.

Remember though that they are middle to bottom dwellers and often get left out if you have other fish that take all the food from the top. Clown Loaches themselves only really eat from the top if they are 100% relaxed and happy in their environment.

The Sexes:

The females have slightly bigger bodies than the males. Without having a few fish together it can be difficult to tell them apart.

Breeding Clown Loaches:

Well... breeding clown loaches is quite a short topic to write about.

It has never been done in captivity!

Scientists have been able to treat the fish with hormones to induce breeding in captivity, but that’s not natural and it’s beyond the means of any aquarist.

So, if your Clowns ever lay eggs, take a picture of them. You may just be the first person to ever get it right and have pictures to prove it.

Average Lifespan:

10 years and longer

Comments:

As you can see from the required tank size, these fish are not really for beginners. Although that hasn’t stopped them from becoming very popular.

The tank size, extra equipment needed (like power-heads), a tip-top quality filtration system and regular tank maintenance required, all point to the fact that owners should have a little experience.

One point to note is that they are very susceptible to ick and care should be taken when treating them. They have little or no scales and many ick treatments can hurt them if not used carefully. Always read the instructions.

When adding them to an aquarium, make sure that the tank has fully completed the nitrogen cycle. They are not very tolerant of toxins in the water.

These fish have a sharp spine located just below the eye that they can stick out when needed. It is recommended to use a solid container when transporting them as they can make holes in plastic bags. The spine can also get tangled in nets while trying to catch them.